This invention relates in general to image forming devices and, more particularly, to a demonstration page image which automatically resizes itself to fit a preferred paper size in a printing device.
In printing devices, such as laser printers, ink jet printers, facsimile machines, digital copiers and the like, it is common in the art to enable the printing device to print a demonstration (demo) page. Typically, the demonstration page is an image that includes text, graphic images, and color (if available) to help a consumer visually inspect the print quality of the printing device prior to purchasing the device. Generally, the demonstration page resides in a memory, such as a read-only memory (ROM), disposed either internal or external to the printing device. The demonstration page is read from ROM and is output by the printing device onto a sheet of media upon demand by a user. The printing of the demonstration page is initiated by the user at the control panel of the printer by pressing certain button configurations or selecting a particular menu option, or via a separate/external control device that is connected to the printer (and that may in fact hold the demonstration page).
One concern associated with demonstration pages is that in today""s graphic and color intensive market, the demonstration page data often requires a significant amount of memory space. For example, a graphic intensive color image may easily consume 1.4 megabytes (MB) of memory. Although memory prices have declined in recent years, memory is still a cost factor in today""s competitive consumer product marketplace, especially in low-end products. Thus, it is preferable to minimize the amount of memory that must be dedicated to the storing of a demonstration page image.
Typically, a size-specific demonstration page image must be generated and stored in memory for each size of media that is to be demonstrated (printed) by the device. For example, if a given laser printer is expected to print on demonstration sizes of letter, legal and A4 size media, then the demonstration page image must actually be stored in memory as three separate imagesxe2x80x94one to fit the letter size media, one to fit the legal size and one to fit the A4 size mediaxe2x80x94if the demonstration page image is to print out on each size of media with a best fit. Storing three (in this example) separate respectively sized images ensures that the demonstration page will look its best (have a best-fit appearance) regardless of the size of media being used in the printer at the time the demonstration page is printed.
Conventionally, a single demonstration page image stored in ROM simply does not and cannot fit (or fully occupy) all of the different media sizes onto which the image may be printed. To further clarify, if a single xe2x80x9cletterxe2x80x9d size/format demonstration page image is stored in ROM, but A4 is the default or preferred media size configuration of the printer, then the resultant xe2x80x9cletterxe2x80x9d sized demonstration image that is printed on the A4 output sheet will not xe2x80x9cfitxe2x80x9d as well as it could or should. Specifically, in this example, white non-imaged borders will vary in size around the xe2x80x9cletterxe2x80x9d sized image printed on the A4 size media.
Thus, it is not uncommon for a printing device to-include multiple demonstration page images in ROM, corresponding to the multiple media sizes that are usable by the printer, to enable best-fit printing of the demonstration page image onto whichever size of media is currently being used by the printer. However, obviously, storing multiple images is memory intensive and costly. For example, if three separate 1.4 MB demonstration page images are stored in ROM, then a total of 4.2 MB of memory is needed. Clearly, this increased memory requirement is undesirable when cost issues are competitively critical.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to enable a single demonstration page image that automatically resizes itself to best-fit any given preferred media size of a printing device.
According to principles of the present invention in a preferred embodiment, a demonstration page automatically resizes itself to fit a preferred media size of a printing device on which the demonstration page is printed. The demonstration page image is embedded in a printer control language (or page description language) such as PostScript to enable automatic resizing of the image. The demonstration page omits control language commands that would otherwise override the preferred media size. Thus, the preferred media size stored in the printing device is used by the demonstration page for resizing and printing purposes. The demonstration page includes control language that identifies an original media size associated with the stored image and further includes control language that calculates scale factors for resizing the image to best fit the preferred media size (or at least a printable area of the preferred media size).
According to further principles, an imaging device includes: demonstration page image data stored in a memory operatively coupled to the imaging device, the image data defining an image having a predefined media size for imaging on the imaging device; and, control indicia stored in association with the image data for automatically resizing the image relative to its predefined media size to fit a preferred media size of the imaging device.
According to yet further principles, a method of imaging includes: storing a preferred media size for an imaging device in a memory operatively coupled to the imaging device; and, providing control indicia and demonstration page image data to the imaging device, wherein the control indicia automatically resizes the image data to fit the preferred media size.
Other objects, advantages, and capabilities of the present invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds.